Beauty

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈbjuːti/
• US IPA: ˈbjuːɾi
• :w:Norfolk dialect IPA: /ˈbuːti/
• :w:Norfolk dialect Homophones: booty
• Rhymes: -uːti

Origin

Anglo-Norman and Old French beauté (early Old French spelling biauté), from Vulgar Latin *bellitās ("beauty"), from Latin bellus ("beautiful, fair"); see beau.

Full definition of beauty

Noun

1. The property, quality or state of being "that which pleases merely by being perceived" (Aquinas); that which is attractive, pleasing, fine or good looking; comeliness.
• 1900, Charles W. Chesnutt, The House Behind the Cedars, Chapter I,Warwick's first glance had revealed the fact that the young woman was strikingly handsome, with a stately beauty seldom encountered.
• 1988, "… beauty and recollection, like danger, glamour, greed, hunger- everything but disappointment and desire- were concepts belonging to other people.” -Second Son, Robert Ferro
2. Someone who is beautiful.Brigitte Bardot was a renowned beauty.
3. Something that is particularly good or pleasing.That phrasing is a beauty.What a goal, what a beauty.
4. An excellent or egregious example of something.
5. with the definite article The excellence, e.g. the genius''The beauty of the deal is it costs nothing!
6. (particle, obsolete) A beauty quark (now called bottom quark).
7. Beauty treatment; cosmetology.
8. (obsolete) Prevailing style or taste; rage; fashion.
• Jeremy TaylorShe stained her hair yellow, which was then the beauty.

Usage notes

Adjectives often applied to "beauty": natural, great, real, physical, exotic, inner, spiritual, strange, divine, visual, heavenly, intellectual, facial, attractive, sensuous, sensual, seductive, musical, austere, alluring, mathematical, geometric, astounding, bodily, pictorial.

Synonyms

• (property, quality) gorgeousness, inspiration, loveliness
• (someone who is beautiful) belle, looker
• (something pleasing) gem, jewel

Antonyms

• (property, quality) repulsiveness, homeliness, ugliness

Derived terms

Interjection

1. (Canada) Thanks! Cool!It's the long weekend. Beauty!

Adverb

1. (Canada) Of high quality, well done.He made a beauty pass through the neutral zone.